Brushing machine for treating strip material



@@C., .2m 94@ J, C; RUF-FER ZQLVE BRUSHING MACHINE FOR TREATING STRIP MATERIL Filed Oct. 20, 1944 Patentecl Dec. 2t), 1949 UNITED BRUSHING MACHINE FOR.` TREATIN G. STRIB MATERIAL John C; Riler, Toledo, Ohio .l Application Octobe1120, 1944, Serial No. 559,630`

1 Claim'. 1 invention relates to the continuous handling for treating attention of strip stock r material.

This invention has utility when incorporated to act simultaneously upon opposite sides of the Work during its relative progress. More specifically, in applying the treating action by rotary means, as brushes, with the strip major portion at one side of the common axis between opposing brushesthe brushes rotating in the same direction, there results not only the cleaning or treatingaction upon the strip portion, vbut a travel4 thereof past the brushes.

Referring to the drawings: Eig. lis a plan View of an embodiment of the invention as adapted for treating or cleaning a4 succession of Venetian blind slats or strips;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, with` parts broken` away, of the Venetian blind strip cleaning ma-` chine of Fig. 1;

strip .transit therepast; and

Fig. 4. is a partial section on the` line-IV--Il/Y, Fig. 2, for the kick-olf ordischarge of the washed strips from the machine of Fig. 2.

Legs I support a table Z having therebelow ai platform; or deck 3` upon which is lmounted a prime mover or. electric motor 4- withA speed reduction beltgearing -effective thru stepped pulley IforA variable speed reduction driving a wheel 1 Xed on shaft 8 mounted in bearings 9 on the table 2 near one end thereof. The direction of rotation of the wheel 1 is for its upper side to move away` from its endof the table 2. This is in a clockwise direction in looking at Fig. 2.'

In the set-up for the equipment astherein disclosed for washing or treating Venetian blind strips, there is located in the table top 2, and eX.-. tending from below the shaft 8 away fromsuch end of the table 2, a vat, tank, or` reservoir I0;` Thetank` Illhas an open top and may be charged.l

for rinsing or subsequent supplemental treatment, 55

theremay bea vatorrtank I4 equipped with a dis-- charge valve I' to a draw-off line IBI Forl Venetian blind strips I7, a line of travel",

I9 therefor. taking care of a range of diferentwidthslats I'l drives `parallelA shaft27 also over the vat I I6.

Each of these shafts, 22, 23 over the:` vat IIJ,

25W and shafts 25, 2.1, over the vat I4, havethereona pair in opposing relation `of, approximately flat faced circular brushes 28, desirably having a 401,1I'I1ikewise give cleansing attention thereto.` Ac-k cordingly all sidesof the slats are simultaneouslygiven full` washing action.

Between'thebrushes 28onthe shaft 23 and the of upright wipers or squeegee members 29 havother substance and have such not go to the sucthe partially submerged brushes 29 extending into the treating solution II.

Rinsing solution 3| from the vat I4 may now There is thus provided means for.

amarre be brought by the brushes or rotary treating means 28 to act upon the washed strip l1. Beyond the shaft 21, and above the vat I4, is an additional pair of wipers or squeegee means 32, also having mounting means 33- for varying the height location thereof above the table top 2, as well as the spacing therebetween. There is thus also provided here a range of adjustment for thickness and width variations in the dimension of the strip stock to be handled.

Upon the table top 2 a short distance beyond the wipers 32, journal bearings 34, are yieldably thrust by compression helical springs 35 away from the table top 2. The bearings 34 mount a shaft 36 having set screw anchored collars 31 thereon in slight lateral clearance as to grooved pulley 38 therebetween. There is thus provided a yieldable upward thrust mounting for the antifriction means or roller 38 upon which the lower narrow edge of a slat Il -may ride to be upwardly thrust into the groove of an opposing grooved wheel 39. The side play allowable for the pulley 38 and the groove width for the wheel 39, automatically compensate to adapt to any warp, weave, twist, or other Variation in the stock being handled. The strip travel from the pair 38, 39, is for discharge from the machine by riding over grooved pulley 43 mounted on table extension bracket 3l.

From the shaft 21 there extends reverse direction or cross-belt gearing 42 to shaft 43 mounting the pulley 39. The direction of rotag tion of the wheel 39 is thus opposite to that of the several brush pairs 28. The periphery of the wheel 39 being larger than the overall diameter of the brushes 28, imparts a speed-up for the lower side of the wheel 39 in its counterclockwise rotation as viewed in Fig. 2, to accelerate the pulling away of a 'nal slat I1 from the squeegee pair 32, and delivery past the roller 40.

In operation, the slats, as on edge, are fed under the initial or first hold-down pulley i3 and over the shaft 8. At once, there is an automatic pick-up of the strip Il between the first brush pair 28. The wide range of departure from constant lineal contact of the brush fibers with the strip, insures relative movement as the major factor. There is accordingly a resultant scrub bing response.

With the brushes 28 running` some 8 to 9 in diameter, and the shafts imparting speed of around 250 R. P. M., 20 to 30 lineal feet of slats Il may be ypropelled as to but two brush pairs. While slat feeding into the machine may be [or abutting ends, the plural brush pair pickup increases from a first gap 44 to a wider gap 45.

While the yieldable mounting for the directing roller 38 introduces a variable to accommodate some range in width departures for the slats Il, further compensation may be introduced thru adjustable bearings 3E, thereby to vary the spacing of the shaft 43 from the top of the table 2.

The brushes 28 are shown as of generally flat face, more or less stiff fibers. Departures in the selection thereof may be made to meet the special work undertaken. Even in the specific instance of Venetian blind slats, at times such may be in undesirable shape, as from plaster, paint, and grime, o r attacking fumes. In practice for the normal cleaning, from domestic or household, as Well as office building slats, a single pair of washing brushes, with a single pair of rinsing brushes, and the squeegees, will perform a satisfactory laundry job. Without additional brushes, there may be speed variation, to supplement the washing action as more dirty slats are to be handled. The proximity, or closeness of setting of the brushes of a pair, thereby to hug together more closely, is also a feature of adjustment on the common shaft therefor. By disconnection of one or more of the follower belt gearings, the plural pair of brushes may be reduced in working number to fulfill the particular job in hand.

By considering the working face providing means 28 for treating purposes, the constitution thereof may respond for direct abrasive action. Again, the slats may be treated, as with varnish or paint remover agents, as well as given handling for refinishing, as by filling, staining, varnishing, enameling, or painting.

While this handling of Venetian blind slats I1 is discussed as apart from assembly, there may be the handling before initial assembly. Furthermore, from assembly, provision may be made to take out and replace, thereby avoiding'attack to the tape and cords.

What is claimed and it is desired tosecure by Letters Patent is:

Slat brushing apparatus comprising a plurality of generally horizontally disposed shafts, said shafts being in the same general plane, a pair of disk brushes mounted on each of said shafts, the working faces of said brushes being in opposed relation and closely spaced to treat a slat therebetween and propel the same, said brush pairs being in the same general vertical plane, grooved guide rollers rotatably mounted on axes generally parallel to said shafts, said guide rollers being located in the same general vertical plane as said brushes, said rollers being located in close proximity to said brushes, whereby a slat to be treated is positioned by said rollers and said pairs of brushes, and means to rotate said brush shafts.

JOHN C. RUFFER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name A Date 1,817,332 Worrall Aug. 4, 1931 2,282,628 Whann et al. May 12, 1942 2,273,514 Chamberlin Feb. 17, 1942 2,313,606 Webb et al. Mar. 9, 1943 

